rEgret
by muzikchic4eva
Summary: Rukia, who's lived in an orphanage for all her life, is kicked out at age eighteen. She goes to Karakura in order to find the older sister she never met. But while there, she meets Kurosaki Ichigo. How can she concentrate when she's falling in love? AU


**Just so you know, the inspiration for this story was an egret I saw flying while on the highway. Yes, my inspirations or story conceptions are so out of whack. I mean, first the airplane, now the highway? Oh well, please read my story! **

**Summary: Rukia, who's lived in an orphanage for all her life, is kicked out at age eighteen. She goes to Karakura in order to try and find her older sister because the only clue she has is a note from her. But while there, she meets Kurosaki Ichigo. How can she concentrate when she's falling in love?**

**A thanks to: NaomiTheClone, who helped me write this by giving me some handy writing tips!  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach! It wouldn't be so awesome if it was!**

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><p>I remembered the first time I saw the great bird. I was at the zoo, and I saw it in all its white feathered glory. I was in awe at the purity of its feathers, long neck, yellow beak, and black webbed feet. People passed by me, sparing a glance at the bird before moving on to the more well-known ones. But I stayed, admiring how white it was.<p>

Of course, I knew that there were many other birds that were white: great snowy owls, and so on. But this bird had something they didn't have, and that was black webbed feet. Even if other birds had black feet, they weren't webbed. Of course, scientifically I knew that they were webbed so it would help the bird swim in the water; they were like the paddles that a boat would use. But I viewed them differently.

If you looked at a bird's talons after sitting on a branch, you could see the brown of the branch in between the talons. But obviously you couldn't for webbed feet. All you saw are the feet if they stood on something, you wouldn't see exactly where the feet stood, only the foot. I'm sorry if that explanation didn't make sense to you; I tried my best.

So, their webbed feet were black, while their feathers were pure white. Could you see what I thought? They had completely black feet, yet the rest of the bird's body was pure white. It's as if the black didn't taint the white at all.

And that's why I loved it so much.

"Rukia, it's time to go."

I turned towards my guardian, the owner of the orphanage I'm currently staying at. I fake-smiled at her. "Okay. But can you tell me what these birds are called?"

She glanced at them and said, "They're egrets. It's a type of heron."

"Heron?"

"Yes, you dumb girl, heron. Now run along. Nine year olds should be running, not busy staring at ugly birds."

I frowned, a glare making its way to my face. "It's not ugly! It's the best bird I've seen, you hag."

"Hag! You rude girl, this is my last warning. Go run along and find the other kids!"

I stuck my tongue out at her, and I "ran along".

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><p>I grinned as I walked from the supermarket after buying groceries. The freedom I got from living on my own was just exhilarating.<p>

As I walked down the streets of Karakura, I noticed how quiet it is. I loved the quiet.

Suddenly, as I turned the corner, a guy appeared on a skateboard. Our eyes widened, and I knew it's too late to dodge. We collided at the corner, and we both fell on our butts, and his skateboard skid across the street while my groceries were all over the floor. Panicking, I hurried to clean it all up but I didn't even get to stand up before he started to talk.

"Oww! Watch where you're going, idiot!" I yelled at him while I glared up at the guy, who was probably around my age or older, in front of me. He had the most distinctive orange hair. He picked himself up and shot me an annoyed look. I couldn't stand how annoyed he was. HE was the one who crashed into ME, not the other way around! And did he even say sorry? Noo, he didn't that basta-

"Watch where YOU're going, midget!"

He did NOT just go there.

"Who the hell are you calling midget, you orange-head!"

"Oh yeah? Who the hell is your size nowadays? Did you even drink you milk like a little girl should?"

"Excuse me for genetics! And I'm eighteen, you blind carrot!"

He stared at me, a stagnant pause hanging in the air. "You're eighteen?"

I snorted at the question. "Yeah."

He continued to look at me, and he burst out laughing! Now that made me angry! "HEY!"

"Sorry, sorry.." He managed to say through all his laughing. "I can't believe you're eighteen! You're so short!"

I glared at him from where I sat on the ground. "Well, maybe that's because I'm still on the floor and you're standing? And I thought we got over that!"

"Right," He grinned apologetically and held out his hand to help me up. I grabbed it and hauled myself up. "Sorry. The name's Kurosaki Ichigo. You?"

"My name's Rukia."

He looked at me in surprise. "What? No surname?"

I shook my head, and he responded with a shrug and a grin. "Doesn't matter, eh Rukia?"

"Nope."

Seeing his skateboard in the street, he sighed. "I knew that thing was a waste of time. Oh well. I gotta get home. See you Rukia!"

Then I remembered something. "Hey, you!" I yelled at him. "You never said sorry for crashing into me, you jerk!"

He looked back at me in surprise, then grinned sheepishly. "Sorry!" He stepped back on the skateboard and went away, leaving me still panting from yelling so much.

Yet why did I have a small smile on my face?

Then I realized, I still didn't pick up all the stuff I dropped! Stupid Ichigo, he didn't even help me with that.

I got everything back in a bag before I got back to my apartment where I pulled my numerous grocery bags into the kitchen. As I made myself some dinner using a cookbook I bought, I couldn't help but think about Ichigo.

_Why are you thinking about Ichigo? You have to look for your sister! _

I groaned. I hated when my sense of reason talked back to me. "Hey, I know that. Now leave me so I can make and eat my dinner in peace."

_Yes, but remember? You have to look for your sister! All you have is a note saying: "If you want to look for me, go to Karakura. –Rukia's sister." I mean, she LEFT you in that hellhole!_

"Excuse me, but my friends came from said hellhole."

_Yeah, but are you ever going to see them again? Who the heck knows?_

I sighed. I really had no clue if I was going to see my friends again. I had lived in an orphanage, and I was the youngest of my friends. Although I'm not sure if this applied to all other orphanages, the one I lived in for most of my life had a rule that when you turned eighteen you had to leave and make a living for yourself. All my friends turned eighteen already, and I was the last to turn eighteen.

Of course, I know where they all are. But I still don't have enough money to get a cell phone (yes, the orphanage didn't supply cell phones or money). I didn't have enough money yet to get envelopes and stamps, so mail was out of the question. So I practically had no means of communication.

Cursing at my sense of reason, I sat back in a chair. My completed dinner was in my hands, and as I looked at it, it could've been better. Actually, a lot better. I don't know if this could count as food.

After I finished dinner, I got ready to go to sleep. I thought of the new jobs I got right before I moved into the apartment. I'm going to be working at a café near Karakura University, almost full hours. And after that, I'd work at the supermarket at night. Working all day sounds horrible, and it didn't have the greatest pay, but it was barely enough to help me pay for my bills and food.

I lay down on my bed, trying to think what my sister would be like. Where would I find her? What's her personality? Is she as short as I am? She was an enigma to me.

Soon I found myself drifting off to sleep while thinking about my sister.

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><p><strong>This is the end of the prologue! It's not so bad, at least I think so.. I've had this idea in my head for quite a while…<strong>

**Please review and tell me your opinions!**


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